Mark 14: 37 And he comes, and finds them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Couldn’t you watch one hour? 38 Watch you and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Trouble came upon the disciples quite suddenly, at a time when they least expected it. Not that Jesus had not told them before, He had told them, but their minds had not grasped the full, and true meaning of His words. Had they prayed, as Christ encouraged them to, their reaction to the sudden change would have been very different.
But because they had failed to come onto the same page with Christ, their reaction to the sudden trial produced an imbalance between Christ and them. In other words, Christ would stand His ground very calmly, as devils ran a mock, while the disciples who hadn’t prayed, ran for cover, and were scattered.
The reason why we are focusing so intently on this issue of preparing for trial through prayer is because most Christians in our day have not a clue as to the urgency of the moment before us. When Daniel says that there would be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, the prophet means exactly what he says.
Matthew 26: 31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 47 And while he yet spoke, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!